The company behind Edible Arrangements is entering the cannabis market, launching a new delivery service for hemp products.
Edible Brands, best known for its line of ornate fruit arrangements, announced on Thursday that it was expanding to start selling different kinds of edibles: hemp gummies, drinks and supplements.
The products can be purchased for delivery from a new site, Edibles.com.
“Edible Brands’ wellness-driven approach aligns with the evolving future of this category,” Thomas Winstanley, the executive vice president of Edibles.com, said in a press release. “With our robust infrastructure and nationwide footprint, we are uniquely positioned to accelerate industry growth.”
“Joining an organization that prioritizes consumers, advocacy, and innovation allows us to strengthen and shape this emerging market,” he said.
That emerging market—which proliferated after hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill—has been facing challenges in recent years, as more states and Congress have pushed to reign in business selling intoxicating cannabinoid products.
Edibles.com isn’t currently servicing California, where the governor recently signed an emergency order banning hemp-derived products containing any traces of THC. However, the company didn’t reference the policy and simply said it was “unable to offer our products to California residents at this time, but stay tuned as we expand.”
It is launching hemp deliveries in Texas, though. But that would likely be complicated if a bill that passed the state Senate on Wednesday is ultimately enacted into law, similarly prohibiting any consumable hemp products that don’t exclusively contain non-intoxicating CBD or CBG.
It’s relatively rare to find cannabis products with no THC at all, and federal law provides that hemp is legal as long as it contains no more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight.
In any case, Edible Brands evidently sees an opportunity even amidst the shifting policy landscape. And after Texas, it said it will be expanding to serve consumers in Florida and Georgia. Certain products will be available for shipping nationwide, depending on the state laws.
“The hemp industry is evolving rapidly, but consumers still face challenges with perception, education, and accessibility,” Somia Farid Silber, CEO of Edible Brands, said. “We’re making it easier than ever for consumers to access premium, vetted products with the convenience they expect today.”
Jake Bullock, CEO of the cannabis drink company Cann, which is part of Edible.com’s product offerings, called this market development “a defining moment for the hemp industry.”
“A high-quality marketplace like Edibles.com has the power to reshape the future of THC products and drive the long-term industry growth we’ve all been working toward,” he said.
The company also said it’s “preparing to disrupt the brick-and-mortar retail sector” by launching a limited franchising program that will start at a flagship store in Atlanta.
“Through Edible Brands’ extensive franchise network, this initiative aims to democratize access to the THC industry, historically restricted by regulatory barriers,” it said.
The announcement comes about two months after the delivery service DoorDash announced that it was expanding its offerings in select states to include hemp-derived THC and CBD products, including gummies and beverages.
Source link Three In Four Young Adults Say They Use Marijuana As An Alcohol Alternative At Least Once A Week, Survey FindsPhoto courtesy of Brendan Cleak.
